Newcastle and Arsenal Competing to Sign French Youth International – Report

Newcastle United are tracking yet another French player in the January transfer window but it seems a deal will not be plain sailing as Arsenal are also said to be interested in Bastia midfielder Florian Thauvin.

Toon boss Alan Pardew has been working hard to complete a number of deals in the last week and has already brought three French players to the club in Yoan Gouffran, Massadio Haidara and Maou Yanga-Mbiwa.

Florian Thauvin in action for Bastia [Reuters]

Toulouse midfielder Moussa Sissoko is expected to become the fourth player from Ligue 1 to arrive at St. James Park when his deal is concluded in the coming days and it seems the spending will not end there.

The Newcastle Evening Chronicle has reported that Pardew is now keen to sign highly-rated teenager Thauvin who has represented France at a number of youth levels and is a current member of the Under-20 side.

It is believed that the 19-year-old may even be prepared to hand in a transfer request to push through a move to the Premier League before the end of the month.

The Chronicle believes that Newcastle will make an offer in the region of £4million in the coming days as Pardew works tirelessly to strengthen his squad to make sure that they do not slip into the relegation zone.

While Newcastle have looked almost exclusively to French players in recent times, it seems they will be rivalled by Arsene Wenger who made his name in his early days at Arsenal by signing the best young talent from across the channel.

Arsenal are also said to be tracking the midfielder who has only been with Bastia since the summer of 2011 after signing from Grenoble who went into bankruptcy and were relegated to the fifth level of French football.

Generally used as an attacking midfielder it is assumed that both Newcastle and Arsenal would view Thauvin as one for the future as he has only just begun to play regular first team football for Bastia.